At a Glance
- Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header ricochet off the upright.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed finish in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes afterwards.
- Leeds continue their best Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
Manchester United's poor run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but head coach Ruben Amorim had Matheus Cunha to thank for the team not suffering even more damage against their old rivals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form hosts before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute effort.
With the goal, the United boss was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolves at home earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against opponents who had two days less to prepare, the forward restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a shot underneath rushing home goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth goal since his high-profile summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that Leeds to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impression, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also fired against a post in the dying moments.
The draw prolongs Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Man Utd Analysis: Amorim's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be forgiven for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Existing injuries to captain Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.
He evidently does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the seasoned Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the through ball for the equaliser almost instantly after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves Cunha, who has now scored a small tally in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.
Leeds Analysis: A Further Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous encounters.
The home fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get worthwhile possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a mistake opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's future.
In contrast, he is now masterminding significant improvement.
The task is not done yet but gradually, Leeds are getting closer to securing their top-flight status.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.
